first," admitted the other, "but I thinkI've satisfied them all. However, I've been thinking that it might be agood idea to move you somewhere else."
"But hardly anyone knows the lab exists," protested Mel.
"The power company does, even if the meters are way down the road. Weshould've planned on our own generators from the first. Then there's thedeed recorder. This land is in both of our names you know."
"It'd still be a tremendous project," pointed out Mel. "You couldn'tbegin to keep the new location secret because you'd need help in movingme. One little slip and it'd be all over."
There was an upward curl to the other's lips that Mel didn't like. "Oh,we'd have to be careful," he admitted. "Luckily the time delay wouldn'thurt any, there's so much money rolling in." He hesitated for a moment,as if in thought, then concluded, "In fact, there's no project on nowunless you have a private one of your own. It might be a good idea toplan on the move right away."
"I still don't like the idea," stated Mel flatly. "I'd like to think itover for a couple of days."
"Think it over all you want," said Neil with a grin. He walked to thecalculator and patted it near the jolter. "Only don't forget I don'thave to ask you." He waited almost hopefully but Mel said nothing,content with the feeling of power and knowledge that, so long as he wasprepared, the other could do nothing immediate to harm him. The time hadcome for action, however.
Mel kept mental contact with his partner after he had left. Neil wentdirectly to the office and unlocked the center drawer of his desk. Hethen began pulling out papers and scanning them rapidly, placing someback and keeping others out. Mel gasped to himself when he saw the bankstatement and the amount of money deposited under the name of thepartnership. That in Neil's personal account was large but it wasperfectly obvious, according to dates Mel could see through the other'seyes, that the transfer of funds had not been underway for long. As itnow stood, they were both practically millionaires but he knew Neilwouldn't be satisfied.
Watching through the other's eyes, Mel had his vision switched from thedesk to the door. He saw that Jenkins had just entered, mouth moving. Hethought he could read his lips just enough to make out his own name.Jenkins appeared to stop and listen to Neil, then his facial expressionchanged as his lips protested over something. Mel's vision then switchedto another desk drawer that had been opened and he saw his missingrevolver nesting in it. Neil withdrew it and pointed it at Jenkins. Theassistant stepped back, hands up as if to ward off a blow. Then aplacating, if anxious, smile spread over his face and his mouth workedrapidly, too much so for Mel to read any words. Whatever had been said,it appeared to satisfy Neil since he lowered the revolver.
* * * * *
Mel broke contact and came back to his own room and stationary videoscanners that served as his eyes. Jenkins came in and his manner made itplain to Mel that he was laboring under an intense pressure. He beganputtering around the work table, gradually making his way closer to thetank housing Mel's brain.
"Jenkins," said Mel, purposely extra loud.
The assistant jumped nervously, dropping a piece of metal he had pickedup.
"Yes," he almost quavered.
"Have you ever thought how it would be to be condemned to a life likemine?"
"No-o-o, not especially. Why should I?"
"You helped put me here, you know."
"I was only following orders, I--"
"All right, all right. I know how Neil can force a person to dosomething. But you could help me, you know."
"How's that?" suspiciously. "I'm not going to tell anyone, if that'swhat you're driving at."
"No, I'm not trying to get you to do that. All I want is the fusereplaced on the cart. Then it would feel as if I were moving around andbreak up the monotony. This is worse than any solitary cell in prisoncould ever be."
"No," refused the assistant flatly. "It wouldn't do you any good anyway.It's just--" He stopped, hand going to his mouth as if he had saidsomething he wasn't supposed to.
"How's that, Jenkins?" reminded Mel as gently as he could. "What'ssupposed to happen?"
"I don't know," replied Jenkins sullenly.
"Put a fuse back in the cart," directed Mel. At the same time he appliedpressure almost to the breaking point against the other's mind.
"No!"
He knifed through to the other's brain with ease and just enough powerto accomplish his purpose without harming Jenkins. This was the mostcomplete control Mel had ever attempted and Jenkins' legs movedspasmodically as though he were a puppet on strings. There was horror inhis bulging eyes and sweat began breaking out on his forehead.Relentlessly he was forced towards the cart until at last it had beenreached.
"Jenkins," said Mel as low as he could. "Can you hear me?" A slighttwitch of the head was the only indication that he could, so Melinstructed,
"There's a spare fuse near the holder, Jenkins. Take it out and place itin the primary circuit. Do that and I'll let you go. If need be, I couldkill you now. The fuse, Jenkins." He relaxed his hold slightly butJenkins made no attempt to comply. Mel continued,
"Remember the dead mouse, Jenkins? I did that. The fuse, before I losemy patience." He applied more power until the other's hand began movingunsteadily towards the cart. As he withdrew slightly, from mentalcontact, Jenkins continued his task and in a moment Mel was able to movethe cart. He had momentarily forgotten Jenkins until he became awarethat the assistant had let out a yell of terror and was rushing for thedoor. Mel watched with amusement, knowing that he could have stopped theother with hardly a strain. Just before he reached the door, it openedand Neil appeared. Jenkins came to a halt and stared in terror at hisemployer.
"Well," said the other impatiently. "What's been keeping you, Jenkins?Did you--"
"No, he didn't," answered Mel. At the same time he caused the cart tomove sideways and swung the video scanner until it was staring directlyat Neil.
"Well," said the latter accusingly, switching his gaze to the terrifiedJenkins. "So this is how you follow out orders."
"He made me do it, boss. He made me," babbled Jenkins as Neil, face setwith determination, drew his revolver from a pocket. Before theastounded Mel could do more than gaze incredulously, there were twosharp cracks and Jenkins slowly placed his arms around his stomach androcked back and forth in agony, before toppling over to the floor to liemotionless.
"Now you," said Neil, swinging his revolver towards Mel's tank. Melfrantically stabbed at his partner's mind but could feel no pressure.Another shot rang out and he felt a numbing pressure seemingly fromevery direction that could only mean it was against his physical brainitself. The shock forced him to use every bit of power he possessed tokeep conscious. Neil had lowered the revolver a trifle and was saying ina superior tone,
"Whatever you did to Jenkins, it's only hastened the inevitable, if thatmakes you feel any better. I'd have had to get rid of him too, once youwere disposed of."
He began raising the revolver again and the dazed Mel instinctivelyrelayed power to the cart. The eye had been pointing directly at Neiland the only sound that indicated the energy gun had been set off was aslight hiss. The effect on Neil was not only instantaneous but horribleto see. His body appeared to swell until he looked bloated, thendisintegrated.
* * * * *
Mel felt himself becoming weak and hastily brought the cart over toexamine the damage the one shot had done to him. Almost fearfully hescanned himself and saw, with relief, that the shot had penetrated thetank and was letting the life-giving liquid escape onto the floor. Aquick glance into the tank showed that the lead pellet had missed hisbrain but the pressure on the liquid had caused him the initial pain.
He directed the cart over to the work bench and brought back a taperedpiece of wood. The arm placed it into the hole and then applied pressureuntil the trickle had stopped. It would do until he could effect apermanent patch. He began to feel stronger almost immediately and knewthat the automatic features of his met
al "body" were renewing the liquidat top speed.
Using the cart, he first checked the supply of chemicals, fed as neededinto the tank, and saw that there was a sufficient quantity to last himfor at least a month. He thanked the good fortune that had allowedJenkins to put the cart into operation before it was too late. Withoutit, his end would have been as certain as if Neil had been successful inkilling him.
His first task was to construct several more carts, each complete withvideo scanner. One of them was larger than the other. It's